Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between senior computer engineers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior computer engineer, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior computer engineer has an average salary of $127,660, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a senior computer engineer include C++, CAD and infrastructure. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Computer Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $127,660 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $61.38 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 42,662 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior computer engineer's main goal is to conduct research and design different types of computer hardware and software systems. They must know to manage servers and create automation in projects. They should also know how to resolve network issues and troubleshoot problems.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Senior computer engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Computer Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $127,660 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $94,000 And $173,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior computer engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Computer Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior computer engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Senior Computer Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 29.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |